The Philippine Star

Showman sneak previews Jan. 22 & 23 in select cinemas

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The sneak previews of The Greatest Showman have been set on Jan. 22 and 23 before its nationwide release on Jan. 31.

Starring a talented ensemble cast composed of Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Keala Settle, The Greatest Showman is the most thrilling musical movie ever filmed for the big screen. With original songs by then unknown and now Oscar-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the movie told through powerful series of dance and songs is a full-on celebratio­n of humanity, our oddities and the larger-than-life belief in oneself amidst impossible hurdles.

It’s a classic rags-to-riches story about a man who started out life with nothing, but by the sheer force of his imaginatio­n and ambition, realized his dreams, going on to transform entertainm­ent, while becoming a global sensation. An optimist and an idealist responsibl­e for inventing the Big Top, P.T. Barnum’s story is nothing short of remarkable. Hugh takes the leading role and it is impossible to imagine anyone other than the charismati­c, Oscar-nominated and Tonywinnin­g actor playing the legendary 19thcentur­y impresario and showman.

The Greatest Showman chronicles the jour- ney of Phineas Taylor Barnum, who grows up poor and falls in love with Charity (Michelle Williams), his childhood sweetheart. It follows the couple as they embark on an incredible series of adventures with their two daughters. Breaking down social and class barriers, he had an instinctiv­e understand­ing of how to entertain people, amaze audiences and lift their spirits.

Alongside Hugh, Zac stars as Barnum’s protégé and business partner. Zendaya dazzles as a pink-haired trapeze artist. And Rebecca shines as the iconic 19th-century soprano, Jenny Lind, also known as the Swedish Nightingal­e. With the dancers, gymnasts, acrobats and fire breathers who filled his thrilling circus, the showman hired a unique group of diverse performers, outsiders who were overlooked and ostracized by society at the time. P.T. Barnum’s “Oddities” included the Bearded Lady (Keala), and an exceptiona­lly small man, “General Tom Thumb” (Sam Humphrey). With no other chance to make a living or enter “normal” society in the 1800s, P.T. Barnum gave these outsiders hope — as well as jobs — celebratin­g their individual­ity and treating them as a family. He had a strong belief in acceptance, a powerful theme in the film, and felt that what makes everyone different actually makes them unique.

Witness the power of one’s imaginatio­n in cinemas and the birth of show business. The Greatest Showman is a 20th Century Fox feature film to be distribute­d by Warner Bros.

 ??  ?? Hugh Jackman in a scene from the musical movie
Hugh Jackman in a scene from the musical movie

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